Furnace conveyer



June 10, 1930. G F, BEACH 1,763,386

FURNACE GONVEYER original Filed April 8. 192e s sheets-sheet `l June 10, 1930. Q F, BEACH 1,763,386

FURNACE CONVEYER Original Filed April 8. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a? Mugs 1 Why June 10, 1930.

G. F. BEACH FURNACE CONVEYER original Filed April 8. v1926's :5 sheets-Sheer 3 Patented .lune 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEoEcE r. BEACH, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoE, BY MEsNE AssIGNMENTs, To RYAN, scULLY & COMPANY, or' PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

p A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREx FURNACE CONVEYER Original application filed. April 8, 1926, Serial No. 100,681. Divided andths application :filed May 31,

1927. Serial My invention relates to furnaces, and it has for one object the provision of simple and efficient means, whereby an article may be guided as it passes from the furnace through the discharge outlet thereof.

\ Another object of my invention is to provide means, whereby the uniform quenching of a treated article throughout `its length may be assured, upon the passage of the arm ticle from the furnace. j

A further object of -my invention is to provide guiding mechanism for the treated articles as they passfrom` the furnace discharge outlet into the quenching tank, the

part of the guiding mechanism directly engaging a treated article being returned to the inside of the furnace upon the completion of the guiding operation, whereby the temperature thereof may be maintained at substantially that of the treated articles and. the

formation of cold spots on the articles thus prevented.

Other objects and applications of my in' vention, as well as details of constructions and operation, whereby my invention may be practiced, will be apparent more fully hereinafter, when taken in connection with Vthe accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe 3o hardening furnace;

Fig. 2 is Aan elevational View of the entrance end ofthe hardening furnace;

. Fig. 3 is a similar view but showing the discharge end of the hardening furnace; j

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4`4 of Fig. 1; and y Fig. 5 is a detail side 'elevational view ofr the counter-weighted fingers for guiding the articleson the skids extending through ther furnace outlet to the quenching tank. j

` My invention comprises a hardening furnace 1 having a conveyer 2 for causing a periodic progression of articles 3 from guiding means 4 positioned at a furnace entrance `45 5 to a furnace outlet 6; a quenching tank 7 W having a skidway 8 extending from a base 9 of said tank through the furnace outlet 6 to a point adjacent to the conveyer 2. f

`Referrimg; to the hardening furnace 1, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, aV pier structure 16 comprises piers 17 and 18 which are spaced on` opposite sides of the conveyer 2 and extended the length of the furnace. Upper sides19and 2l of the spaced piers 17 and .18, respectively, constitute spaced supporting surfaces for the articles to be treated. For `purposes of illustration, such articles have been shown as axles having a main body portion 22 and yoke end portions 23.

The conveyer 2 comprises an elongated hearth 24 having one end 25 positioned in operative relation to the guiding means 4` and an opposite end 26 terminating adjacent to the skidway 8. Opposite sides 27 and 2S of the hearth 24 are positioned parallel to adjacent sides 29 and l'of the piers 17 and 18, respectively. Ain upper side 32 of the hearth 24 constitutes a supportingsurface for the axles 3 when they are moved forwardly, all as will presently appear. An underside 33 of the hearth 24 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending side beams 34 and 35, which are transversely secured by channels 36. i

In accordance ,with my invention, the hearth 24 is reciprocated in a path of circular-like form extending above and below the pier` supporting surfaces 19 and 21, whereby the hearth` supporting surface 32 may periodicallyraise the axles 3 from said pier supporting surfaces 19 and 21, carrying said axles forwardly adesired distance and again depositing the same on the pier supporting surfaces 19 and 21 in an advanced position. Such movement causes a periodic progression of the axles 3 from the guiding means 4 at the furnace inlet opening 5 to the skidwamy 8 leadingto the quenching tank 7.

`The guiding means 4, which serves to insure a proper spacing of the axles 3 as they enter the furnace, may comprise pairs of transversely aligned shoulders 58, which are respectively formed on strips 5 9-59 mounted on the supporting surfaces 19 and 21 of q the pier structure 16. In order to cause the axles 3 to be properlv centralized with respect to the 'supporting pier structure 16, I pro vide guiding strips 61which are respectively positioned in co-operative relation to the whereby the axles 3' maybe guided with a minimum' loss of heat `in their passage through the furnace outlet opening 6 over the skidway 8 into. the quenching tank 7. To

this end, I rovide a shaft 63, which is mounted externa ly of the furnace 1 but adjacent to the outlet opening 6, with a pair of spaced depending arms 64. Each arm is provided-with a curved projection 65 adapted to extend through yafpassage 66 formed between the.

skidway 8 and the lower edge of a movable doorA 67 up into'the furnace chamber, terminating in a horizontal Shoulder portion 68 positioned in substantial alignment with the supporting. surface of one of the piers 17-18. The skidway 8 may comprise apair of spaced members 69-69 extending from the base 9 of the quenching tank 7 through the passage 66 between the arm extensions 65-65 and terminating at the pier supporting surfaces 19 and The spacing of the members 69 is such as to permit a forward movement of the furnace hearth 24 therebetween. During such movenient, Vwherein the hearth 24 is moved upwardly and forwardly, the treated axle nearest to furnace outlet 6 is raised, carried forwardly, and finally deposited on the spaced supporting shoulders 68-68. vThe forward movement of said article Ion. the shoulders 68-68 may be limited by abutments 72.

The spaced shoulders 68-68 now move downwardly under the weight of the aXle 3, at the same time guiding said axle on the spaced skids GSI- 69, and are finally disengaged from the axle as it passes into the quenching tank 7. Thus, the uniform quenching of the axles 3 throughout their length is assured.

Experience has indicated that if the contacting parts of shoulders 68-68 of the guiding means are not maintained yat the furnace temperature, coldV spots would be formed in the axles. I, therefore, provide a counterweight 73 for the shaft 63 sufficient to cause the contacting shoulders 68-68 to be returned to their initial position Within the furnace after disengagement with the guided axle. The portion ofthe skid-Way 8 between the outlet passage 66 and the quenching tank 7 is closed bya hood structure 74 having openings 75 for the arm projections 65-65 to insure the maintenance of the axles at the hardening temperature up to the moment of quenching in the tank 7.

Considering theoperation of my apparatus as a whole, assuming a plurality of axles on the guiding means 4 and the several driving parts actuated, the moving hearth 24 is effective by reason of its elliptical-like path of travel to cause a periodical progression of the axles through the hardening furnace 1, finally successively depositing the axles on the` axle but all the while guiding the axle on the skidway 8 to insure that it .is uniformly quenched from end to end bythe oilinjfthe tank7. y a. y

Y While Ihave shown only one embodiment of myl invention, for the purpose of describing the saine and illustrating its principles of construction and operatioinit isfappaijentthat variousjchanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations` shall be imposed thereon asare indicatedY in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

Iclaim: -1

p 1. A furnace havingV anopening, means whereby articles may be passed through said furnace opening, 'and reciprocating Vmeans movable back and forth through said furnace opening for guiding'said articles over saidfirst-mentioned means. 7

2. A furnace having an opening, means forl conveying anv article* through f saidv furnace opening,4 and reciprocating means-for guidunder the Weightoftlie article..V

3. A furnace opening having a slide over which an article may pass, and reciprocating` means adapted to'` move back and `forth through said opening to engage said article s0 as to guide the sanie fora desired portion of its movement on said slide, and article engaging parts of saidA reciprocating means being normally positioned insaidV furnace so as tov have'a temperature substantially that of the treated article f`- 4. A furnace having anjopening through Which a treated article ma pass, and reciprocating fingers ada ted to e moved back and forththrough sai opening to guide the arti-V cle in its passage throughsaid opening, said fingers being so counterbalanced that' they are returned to theirinitial osition .upon disengagement from said-articllje," f

5. A furnace'having an outlet, a skidwa-y extending through said outletfroni a point Within said furnace, and Areciprocating fingers movable back and forth through said openinvr and havingYa-normal position Within said:t furnaceV adjacent' to said skidway,- said fingers being movable outwardly of said furnace under the Weight of a treated article, and adapted vto guide said article on: said skidway during said movement. A

6. A furnace having an outlet provided with a doorleavinga passage, fingers havibs iis

izo

ing a countel'balaiiced mountingextern'ally y same, and means for depositing on said fingers a treated article, said fingers being mov able under the Weight of said article to guide the same in its movement through said passage.

7 A furnace having a discharge outlet, a skidWay extending through said outlet, and a door for said outlet leaving a passage, an arm pivotally mounted externally of said furnace and provided With an angled proj ecting portion extending through said passage up into said furnace, said projecting portion having a shoulder, means for depositing a treated article on said shoulder, said projecting portion moving outwardly of said furnace under the Weight of said article and also serving to guide the same on said skid- Way, and counterbalancin.f` means for said arm, whereby said projecting portion may be returned to its initial position upon disengagement from said article.

8. A furnace having a discharge outlet, a supporting shaft journaled outside said furnace, arms depending therefrom, said arms being provided With arcuate projections ex tending up into the furnace from the outside thereof, and counterbalancing means for said arms permitting the same to be moved under the Weight of an article to be discharged from the furnace. j

9. A furnace having a discharge outlet and a pier structure terminating at the discharge outlet of the furnace, said outlet having a slridvvay extending therethrough, means for guiding the treated articles during a desired portion of their movement over said skidvvay comprising a counterbalanced shaft mounted externally of said furnace and a pair of fingers, each of Which comprises a depending arm and an arcuate extension therefrom normally terminating adjacent to one end of said pier structure, and means for depositing a treated article on said arm projections, the counterbalancing of said shaft being such as to permit said arm projections to move outwardly of said furnace under the Weight of said article in such manner as to guide the same on said skidvvay but causing the immediate return thereof to their initial position upon disengagement from said article.

10. A furnace having a pier structure constituting a support for the article to be treated, said furnace also having a discharge outlet and a skidvvay extending through said outlet from said pier structure, means for causing a progression of the articles under treatment toward said skidvvay and means for guiding said articles for a predetermined portion of their path of travel over said skidvvay, said means comprising a shaft mounted externally of said furnace and a pair of spaced arms depending therefrom, each arm having an arcuate projection terminating in an article-supporting portion positioned adjacent to said pier structure, so that said rst-mentioned means may deposit a treated article thereon.

11. A furnace having a pier structure for supporting the articles to be treated, means for eifecting a progression of said articles through said furnace, said furnace having a discharge outlet provided with a skidway eX- tending from said pier structure, a door for partially closing said outlet so as to leave a passage through vvhich the articles may ass over said skidvvay, and means for gui ing said articles during a pre-determined portion of their movement over said skidvvay, said means comprising a shaft journaled outside the furnace and having a pair of spaced arms, each of Which is provided With an arcuate projection extending through said passage up into said furnace and terminating adjacent to said pier structure so as to be in a posit-ion to receive a treated article on the .ends thereof, and counterbalancing means for causing said fingers to return to their initial position after guiding said article to the desired extent.

GEORGE E. BEACH. 

